Everything You Need To Know About Will Smith

20 Reasons Will Smith Deserves An Oscar Already

Will Smith started off with a successful rap career, which he parlayed into the successful television show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Since then, he's become a huge movie star with big box office returns.

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The actor was born on September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother was an employee with the school board and his father was an owner of a refrigerator company, and together they provided Smith with a reasonable middle-class upbringing. He was a bright student and a smooth-talking charmer, an ability that led to his “Prince” moniker.

By the time Smith was 20 he produced the Grammy-winning album He's the DJ I'm the Rapper, which included the hit song "Parents Just Don't Understand." This song, and the album, became a cult classic among teenagers at the time, not so much for the musical excellence, but for its comedic overtones. Smith came to represent a new breed of rappers that did not need explicit language or violence to entertain listeners.

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Today, he is the ever-faithful husband to his wife, despite the daily temptations thrust upon him by groupies. He was a self-proclaimed womanizer, but family life has domesticated him considerably.

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He has Grammy Awards and Billboard album sales plaques, but where is the Oscar? He has accomplished a lot in a very short time, but Will Smith is a perfectionist and he won't rest until an Oscar is sitting on his mantel. He was nominated for one for his role in Ali (2002), but lost that to Denzel Washington. Even before the release of The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), there were whispers of his contention for the coveted award, but it stopped at another nomination.

Regardless of how many awards decorate Smith's home or sit in the closet, he has an indelible face that is recognized the world over. Here are 20 things about the rapper turned actor you probably didn't know:

1. Netflix original

Will Smith plays a L.A. cop in David Ayer’s new action fantasy film Bright.

2. Early encounters

Smith’s music career began at the age of 12 when he met Jeff Townes (aka DJ Jazzy Jeff) at a party.

3. Hometown team acquisition

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Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett-Smith purchased a minority stake in the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011. They took fandom to another level.

4. He’s broken records

Smith is the only actor to have eight consecutive films earn over $100 million in the domestic box office and eleven consecutive films gross over $150 million worldwide. Pretty impressive.

5. The Tonight Show appearance

Smith was Jimmy Fallon’s first guest on The Tonight Show after he took over for Jay Leno.

6. Rock The House success

His debut album with DJ Jazzy Jeff turned Smith into a millionaire before he was 20 years old. As fame and fortune goes, Smith was nearly bankrupt in 1990, just a few years after the album’s release.

7. He has the moves

Smith can solve a Rubik’s cube in under a minute. He’s solved them in both The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and in The Pursuit of Happyness.

8. Family Affair

Smith’s son Jaden’s first movie role was in The Pursuit of Happyness alongside his father and they co-starred together again in After Earth.

9. Smith has three kids

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He has one son, Trey Smith born in 1992, from his previous marriage to Sheree Zampino, and two children with Jada Pinkett-Smith, Jaden and Willow.

10. He's pretty generous

Smith donated $1.3 million in 2007, all of which went to different religious organizations including two Christian ministries, three Scientology organizations, and a Los Angeles mosque and Christian schools and churches.

11. School founding

Smith and his wife founded the New Village Academy, a private elementary school in Calabasas, California in 2008. The school is no longer active as of 2013.

12. Smith’s Just The Two of Us

Inspired by the love song of the same title, Smith’s version of the song revolves around his relationship with his first-born, Trey.

13. Guinness World Record

Smith landed in the Guinness Book Of World Records in 2005 for attending three movie premieres in the span of 24 hours. He later lost the title to Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan.

14. Suicide Squad villain

Smith turned down participation in Independence Day: Resurgence, the 1996 mega hit sequel, in favor of a role in Suicide Squad in 2016.

15. Channeling The Champ

Before portraying heavyweight champion Muhammed Ali in Ali, Smith released "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson" when he was formerly known as The Fresh Prince. Smith’s single "Gettin' Jiggy Wit" It also makes reference to the Champ in the line “Met Ali, he told me I’m the greatest.”